As the prompts on the panel illuminated, the whirlpool surrounding Bai Yi intensified.
His soul's growth became increasingly exaggerated, an endless surge of power, while the whirlpool seemed to pull something vital from him, triggering an alert within Bai Yi.
He focused on the source of danger, where three distinct saint marks appeared, circling in the whirlpool and approaching rapidly.
The marks shimmered in blue, white, and red, each representing a different aspect.
Bai Yi couldn't grasp their significance until a vivid image flashed in his mind.
A soft blue aura enveloped him as an elderly voice resonated with emotion.
"The limits of the world are rising. It seems saints may soon be unnecessary. I truly hope we don't need to exist anymore."
The voice faded, transforming the blue light into a pure white. A commanding voice emerged, echoing with authority.
"Oh, is this your response? Since you seek chaos, let's end it all."
The white light vanished, replaced by a scarlet hue that filled Bai Yi's consciousness with a potent killing intent.
Even from a distance, it began to invade his thoughts.
Bai Yi frowned, sensing urgency. Without hesitation, he seized the blue mark.
In that fleeting moment, he understood its representation: the inheritance of three saints. One was peaceful, another balanced, and the third embodied relentless destruction.
Though he did not require neutrality or violence at this moment, stability was essential. The stronger his soul remained, the greater his control over the dark side.
"Oh, it's still recovering. Perhaps this is fate," he murmured.
In an instant, Bai Yi felt his thoughts stagnate, followed by an overwhelming pain, as if his soul were being ground in a meat grinder. This agony was unlike anything he had experienced.
He endured for three seconds before plunging into endless darkness.
When Bai Yi regained consciousness, he found himself back in his room, staring at the ceiling.
Gasping, he detected a faint fragrance lingering in the air. Confusion clouded his mind. What just happened?
He instinctively glanced at his panel.
[You have accepted the inheritance of the saint and awakened the specialty: the Soul of the Saint.]
Holy Soul: Your soul is immune to 80% of negative effects, and your body will be conceived by the Holy Soul, becoming the ideal vessel for your soul.
Effect of Holy Soul Pregnancy: Strength +200, Agility +200, Endurance +200. Your body will grow stronger with the power of your soul.
You have realized the following soul skills:
Name: Soul of Nature
Attribute: Active Skill · SaintEffect: Calms the heart and purifies the soul.Usage Requirements: NoneCooldown: NoneIntroduction: The soul is intertwined with nature; let go of your murderous heart and embrace tranquility—Marty Radna.
Name: Soul Comfort
Attribute: Active Skill · SaintEffect: The power of the soul eliminates negative emotions, bringing warmth.Usage Requirements: Spirit 300+Cooldown: 30 secondsIntroduction: Peace is precious; sometimes, violence is unnecessary—Marty Radna.
Bai Yi stared at the series of notifications in silence. Is this what it means to be a saint?
This specialty was incredibly powerful. The dark side that had previously reached a critical point could now continue to grow without fear of backlash.
He sensed that even if his dark side embraced true evil, he would no longer need to worry about the consequences, nor would he have to suppress it with malicious intent.
Thanks to this new specialty, he would only face 20% of the original erosion, and the Soul of Nature could nullify these negative effects.
He checked the time. His unconsciousness hadn't lasted long. After some reflection, he decided to further enhance himself.
Since he still had a chance to enter the Tomb of the Saint, he would use it now.
Despite the recent excruciating pain, he felt better than ever. It was as if all restrictions had vanished, leaving him feeling relaxed and powerful.
His bright side was no longer that of a weak alchemist; he had transformed into a warrior beneath the gold—into a... saint!
[You have used the Saint's Mark authority. You are about to enter the Tomb of the Saint. Countdown: 321]
As the countdown ended, Bai Yi closed his eyes again. Numerous scenes flashed before him, only to vanish before he could fully comprehend them, returning him to the site of the saint's seal.
He recognized this place well. Approaching a door, he noted the fading subtitles.
"Inheritance and nostalgia lie ahead ↑. Be respectful, and don't disturb the souls of the departed."
After a brief pause, he felt a sense of calm wash over him. Following the arrow's guidance, he moved forward.
He encountered an old wooden door, still dust-free yet clearly weathered, reminiscent of the wooden doors from the civilian areas of Dongwu City.
Bai Yi reached out with his blue, slightly golden hand and pushed the door open.
Squeak~
The sound of the door echoed as a vast cemetery unfolded before him. It was meticulously maintained, as though someone tended to it regularly.
Wordless monuments stood before small mounds, each bearing a faint seal of the saint.
This mark was unique. Bai Yi couldn't discern the structure of either the mark on his palm or those carved onto the stone tablets.
[You have entered the Tomb of the Saint. Stand before a tombstone for five seconds to receive one of the following: knowledge, equipment, inheritance, or treasure.]
As the prompt appeared, subtitles materialized again.
"Choose wisely; you won't regret it, saint. After all, their legacy is often disregarded."
Bai Yi pondered, walking forward. The tombstones appeared identical, each bearing a saint's seal that he could not differentiate.
Speculations about the epidemic lingered in the world, yet no authoritative figure had validated his theories.
The saints claimed the world was infinite and limited. If creatures caught up in this infinite process, they would disrupt the balance, leading to destruction.
Yet, Shia felt contrary to that notion.
The more gods present in Shia, the more stable and powerful it became, even strong enough to exile gods and resist ancient entities.
This contradicted the saints' descriptions. The stronger the world grew, the more stable it became, while the more entities sought power, the closer they edged toward ruin.
These contradictions puzzled Bai Yi, especially regarding the vanishing saints, the hostility from the Soul Tower, and the strength of the saints.
The world was complex. Only by continuously growing stronger could new secrets be uncovered.
Perhaps one day, he too would become a small tombstone like the saints.
Walking before these unknown tombstones, Bai Yi felt the echoes of the saintly marks.
However, these calls felt almost identical. If only he could bring Luo Ning along.
Bai Yi resolved to heed the subtitles, stopping before a particular tombstone.
He focused on it, waiting patiently as the five seconds elapsed.
Almost instantly, he sensed a summons.
Raising his hand, he brought the blue saint's mark to press against the tombstone's seal.
As the two marks touched, a Buzz~ reverberated throughout the cemetery, freezing Bai Yi's consciousness as a female voice emerged.
"Ah? A young soul with vision? As the first visitor, let me ponder what I shall bestow upon you."
A woman materialized before Bai Yi, exuding an ethereal beauty with a hint of fierceness in her gaze.
She smiled warmly, as if she had been lonely for far too long.
Her illusory form fluctuated, and after a moment of contemplation, she grinned, "This knowledge was my life's work. It's yours now, but nothing comes free. If you encounter this fellow, help me out."
With a gentle touch of her fingertips, a torrent of knowledge surged forth. Bai Yi felt his mind shake as an overwhelming amount of information flooded in, threatening to overwhelm his consciousness.
Bai Yi realized that with his current holy spirit at 93 points—equivalent to 930 in standard attribute points—this influx of knowledge was beyond his capacity to contain.
Memory Sealing!
He swiftly raised his hand. In an instant, a massive sphere of knowledge appeared before him, a memory-sealing ability he had honed over time to filter out chaotic memories.
As the golden sphere solidified and compressed over roughly ten minutes, the woman finally completed her knowledge transfer.
"That's all I have for now. Remember, the owner of this essence needs your assistance. They shouldn't be dead yet... I'm not certain. We'll discuss it when you meet them."
With that, she faded from view before Bai Yi could respond.
Staring at the memory spell in his hand, he felt a mix of frustration and acceptance.
For the next inheritance in three years, he needed to ensure Luo Ning was prepared, guiding her through the process.
While high-level artifacts were impressive, receiving such inheritance a century later would likely yield far more benefits.
This knowledge was akin to the technological marvels of a colossus.
After the saint's inheritance, Bai Yi checked his attributes and decisively spent over 20 million experience points, redistributing his attribute points. Satisfied with his new stats, he rose and exited.
He now possessed a random reward and a dark-side expertise, but would have to wait to utilize them.
Zero had sent a message; there was something urgent to address.
[You have leveled up. Your level is now 69.]
Host: Bai Yi (Light)
Race: Human
Template: Alchemy Demon
Occupation: Alchemist · Saint
Level: 69 (321,540/9,000,000)
Experience: 0
Gold Coins: 1,564,001
Power: 353
Agility: 369
Endurance: 370
Intelligence: 627
Saint Spirit: 98
Charm: 33 (Equipment bonus +50)
Luck: 1
Free Attribute Points: 0
World: Black Death · Pathogen, Night Town
World Legend Degree: 8
Ranking: Gold Middle
Titles: Future Star: ★★★★★★★★, Hunter: ★★★★★, God Hunter: ★★★★★, Alchemy Master: ★★★★★, Tasting Master: ★, Soul Master: ★★★★★★★★
Skills: Master Alchemy Pharmacy (5810/50000) (Expand), Master Alchemy Science and Technology (39420/50000) (Unfold), Master Alchemy Transformation (46500/50000) (Unfold), Spiritual Class (Unfold), Contract Master (10000/50000) (Expand).
Active Skills: Soul Accumulation, Black Eyes, Mental Stagnation, Space Penetration, Memory Sealing, Nature's Soul, Soul Comfort.
Skill Points: 95
Special Skill Points: 3
Personal Expertise: High Concentration, Treacherous Business, Fast Manufacturing, Holy Soul.
Boss Template Expertise: Alchemy Demon, Spiritual Growth, Spiritual Defense, Soul Gourmet, Light and Darkness (only), Magic Spring, Demon Soul Blood, Demon Dimension (unique), Mechanical Attachment, Invincible Soul.
Boss Growth: You can choose a boss specialty for every ten levels. You currently have 0 expertise choices available.
Evaluation: The legendary saint. Beneath the saint's soul lies the hidden power of the divine. Are you still merely a boss?*
(End of this chapter)